Subsequent authors, from John O. Westwood onwards, have unjustifiably "corrected" the spelling.

Wings mazarine blue; the anterior ones having a white band crossing them from the middle of the anterior edges to the lower corners; the posterior edged with a white border, intersected by the blue tendons of the wings.

Wings black where they are blue on the upper side, with the same white markings; but next the body are adorned with beautiful red streaks, ending in points resembling rays issuing from it.

[3] The coloring pattern of H. cydno is used to warn a predator of the unpleasant taste of their intended prey.

H. sapho is mimicked by the subspecies H. cydno alithea when it exhibits one of its two colorations, known as its "white form".